Global fast-food protest makes local cry for better wages

Corey Baldwin of Los Angeles protests in front of a Burger King on Crenshaw Boulevard as a group of fast food workers from the Los Angeles area protested for pay raises Thursday. KYUSUNG GONG , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Hundreds of angry fast-food workers in Los Angeles made their grievances known Thursday as they stomped outside a Burger King to syncopated chants of “We’re fired up!”

Employees from around the city joined in nationwide protests against McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast-food chains in an effort to gain support for a $15-an-hour wage.

The campaign of discontent, backed by the Service Employees International Union and begun in New York City in late 2012, has spread to 150 cities nationwide and 33 countries. The global protest was organized by Fast Food Forward, a group financed by the SEIU.

The Center for Union Facts, an anti-union group, issued a report Thursday claiming that SEIU has spent more than $15million supporting the protests since January 2013.

Although the SEIU could not be reached for comment late Thursday, Elizabeth Brennan, a spokeswoman for the local strike, confirmed that the organization was financing protests in Los Angeles. She did not know how much money had been spent on local demonstrations.

Jibri Range, 21, was protesting outside the McDonald’s at 28th Street and Crenshaw Boulevard west of downtown Los Angeles, where he works as a custodian, cleaning the restrooms, eating area and parking lot.

“I’m on strike because I want more than the minimum wage,” Range said. “I want my $15 an hour.”

The part-time employee wore a shirt that read “Fight for $15” while standing with more than 200 community organizers and fast-food workers from around the city. The mass of people packed the patio and sidewalk of the fast-food restaurant as they demanded better pay and the right to unionize without fear of intimidation.

In New York City, a couple of hundred demonstrators beat drums, blew whistles and chanted in the rain outside a Domino’s for about a half-hour. Among those who took turns speaking were local lawmakers, community leaders and fast-food workers.

President Barack Obama has been working to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. The current rate of $7.25 an hour translates to about $15,000 a year, assuming a person works 40 hours a week.

Californians earning minimum wage can expect a raise from $8 to $9 by July 1, and to $10 by 2016.

McDonald’s, which has more than 35,000 locations worldwide, said in a statement that workers are free to express their views.

“We respect the right of employees to choose whether or not they want to unionize,” the statement said.

“This is an important discussion that needs to take into account the highly competitive nature of the industries that employ minimum-wage workers, as well as consumers and the thousands of small businesses which own and operate the vast majority of McDonald’s restaurants.”

Fast-food workers historically have been difficult to unionize because many are part-timers or teens who don’t stay on the job long. Also complicating matters is that the majority of fast-food restaurants in the U.S. are owned by franchisees who say they already are operating on thin profit margins.

Corey Baldwin of Los Angeles protests in front of a Burger King on Crenshaw Boulevard as a group of fast food workers from the Los Angeles area protested for pay raises Thursday. KYUSUNG GONG , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A group of Los Angeles fast food workers march on Crenshaw Boulevard to protest for pay raises on Thursday. KYUSUNG GONG , KYUSUNG GONG STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Organizer of the protest Gilda Valdez, right, leads the protest Thursday as a group of fast food workers in the Los Angeles area protest for pay raises in front of a Burger King on Crenshaw Boulevard. KYUSUNG GONG , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Protesters chant in front of a Burger King on Crenshaw Boulevard as a group of fast food workers in Los Angeles rally for pay raises on Thursday. KYUSUNG GONG , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Protesters chant in front of a Burger King on Crenshaw Boulevard as group of fast food workers in Los Angeles area protested for raise on Thursday. KYUSUNG GONG , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Michael Green, Los Angeles County Regional Director of Service Employees International Union, speaks to the protesters as group of fast food workers in Los Angeles area protested for raise in front of a Burger King on Crenshaw Boulevard on Thursday. KYUSUNG GONG , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Protesters chant in front of a Burger King on Crenshaw Boulevard as group of fast food workers in Los Angeles protest for pay raises Thursday. KYUSUNG GONG , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A group of protesters gather to listen to community leaders as during a fast food workers protest for pay raises in front of a Burger King on Crenshaw Boulevard on Thursday. KYUSUNG GONG , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

1 of

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.